Fluidity
by Gabrielle's Abs
Summary: So this is a story about how Bette and Tina first met and how they began their lives together. This is going by slowly, so be patient. Also, this is intended for mature readers only.
1. Chapter 1

"God damn it, James! Find out where those caterers are! The art opening starts in less than 2 hours and no food is prepped." The gallery owner commanded in frustration "And find out where that last sculpture is!"

"Right away." The assistant did as his boss commanded while she headed back to her office.

Bette Porter was amazed at the incompetency of people nowadays. _No one knows how to run a damn catering business in this fucking town. This sculpture was supposed to arrive 4 hours ago, and I'm still waiting._ She let out a frustrated sigh as she sunk into her office chair, covering her face with her arm. She pulled open a drawer, rummaging through for ibuprofen to battle the oncoming headache she felt. _Shit, where is the fucking thing?!_ The gallery owner was not having a hectic day, that seemed was straight from hell. The arrangements were ready for the most part, but what's an art opening without food and wine? _A fucking joke._ When she figured that the ibuprofen was misplaced, she slammed her drawer shut and rested her head in her hands, trying to calm herself down.

"James! Update me!" she yelled so her assistant could hear her from the other room

James came through the door, reading off a little notepad. "Okay...the caterers should be here within 30 minutes. They're just caught in some traffic. The sculpture just arrived, our workers are installing it now so it should be ready within 45 minutes…anything else?" He asked, knowing that there was always something else Bette wanted.

"Fetch me some ibuprofen, it feels like someone is sawing into my head here. Also, put these caterers on the blacklist. We're not hiring them next time. Everyone knows that LA is the capital of traffic jams from hell, it's not an excuse for their incompetence."

"Yes, ma'am" James scribbled in the notepad, then rushed out to return with two pills and a glass of water.

"Thank you, James. " She took both in her hands and set them on her desk. "Lock my door on the way out."

James left the room immediately, doing as she asked. Bette just stared up at the ceiling. _This day has already turned to fucking shit. I'm not even close to being ready, and my plate is full._ She peeled off her cardigan and hung it on her seat. Sighing once more.

….

"C'mon babe, are you ready yet? I wanna get to the gallery early before the good pieces get snatched." the man addressed the blonde as he casually waltzed into the bathroom.

"Yeah, I'm just finishing up, give me a sec." the striking woman replied as she dabbed her lipstick and checked herself in the bathroom mirror.

She stepped back and double checked herself. She was wearing a very simple tight black dress that hugged her in all the right places. She accessorized with the big silver necklace given as a present for her birthday and earrings that dangled like a silver chandelier. She had curled her hair for the event and gave herself just a slight smoky eye with a nude lip color.

Going to an art show wasn't anything new. This was the 5th show she went to with her boyfriend Eric. However, this showing was held with a little more prestige, since it was being held at the Bette Porter gallery in L.A. The gallery owner had quite the reputation. Bette Porter was known among the art world as the brilliant, hard-nosed, yet striking gallery owner with a taste for the greatest artists.

Tina swerved towards her date. Her boyfriend was a handsome man with bright blue eyes and swept back dirty blond hair. He had curvy lips and a very strong cleft chin. He was an entertainment lawyer, so his entire wardrobe was complied of nothing more than business suits and collared shirts. He sported a bright blue collared shirt, golden tie, and navy blue suit. He scanned her up and down with his baby blue eyes and a slight smirk on his newly shaven face.

"Damn, Tina, now I'm starting to think we should just stay in and fool around some." he stated, clearly taken by her beauty.

"Oh please, I didn't even do much. Simplicity is key. Besides, I'm pretty sure that you're going to be upset if we don't go and you find out some really good pieces were sold while we stayed in." Tina answered back, smiling at the compliment.

"Right." Eric realized the truth behind her sentence. "Maybe we can just fool around afterward." he winked and he led Tina out of the bathroom and then high rise arise apartment decorated with very rare and collectible pieces of art throughout the centuries.

He opened the front door and motioned Tina to walk first with his hand.

"After you, beautiful." he chuckled as he held the door.


	2. Chapter 2

As she approached the gallery, Tina was in complete awe. She never would have guessed that the Bette Porter Gallery would attract this many people. The courtyard was scattered with groups of people casually chatting, while sipping on the glasses of wine in their hands. The gallery building looked fairly modern, with sharp edges decorated with various accents of silver around the light blue-hued tinted windows. The pearly white gallery seemed slightly intimidating to her for some reason. _Looks like the gallery owner is a bit of a perfectionist. The building doesn't even have the slightest smudge on it._ She thought at she scanned the building up and down.

The couple strolled side-by-side, with their arms constantly brushing due to the closeness at which they walked. They weaved in and out of the crowd, finally making their way to the entrance. The chilled air instantly greeted them as they walked inside, sending a shiver down Tina's body.

"Maybe I should have brought a sweater or something. I have goosebumps now." Tina said lowly to Eric as she lifted her arms so he could see.

Eric barely glanced at her arm. "Oh, don't worry, I'm sure you'll get used to it babe. Plus, we're not even going to be here that long. Okay?" He replied as he put his arm around and rubbed her arm, trying to bring some comfort.

The couple continued to stroll around and admire the pieces the gallery held. There were paintings, photographs, prints, sketches, sculptures, and multi-media exhibits that awed those that laid their eyes upon them. The gallery was mainly white, accented with a very light, barely visible frosted blue wall here and there. Each piece was placed symmetrically, without any single sign of flaw in it's installation. There was yet a crooked frame to be seen. Every single light, shone directly at each piece, but not powerful enough to be seen as harsh. It was a lovely, soft, and glowing light that really brought out the best in the pieces. _Wow, the owner must've put so much work into this opening. Each light, different in it's own way, truly compliments each and every piece here._ Tina started noticing that the artwork were very sensual and evoked various but strong emotions in the viewers. Most of the photographs were portraits of women, each photo seeming to capture each personality. Some portraits had women sporting facial hair, posing as men. Even the portrait of the woman branded and marked with dark, heavy tribal tattoos gave off a feeling of gentleness and raw vulnerability. The rooms were filled with the low chatter of the gallery's visitors, admiring or critiquing each piece.

Bette emerged from her office, sighing in relief. _I managed to pull it together, and last minute too. No thanks to that asshole caterer._ She reveled in her minor accomplishment for a split-second, then was immediately swamped with greetings and compliments. She grabbed a glass of wine from a server that passed by and mingled with the big-time collectors she knew were lurking around the area. _Hopefully I sell more than usual, I feel like tonight's events might change my mood for the better. Maybe I'll get lucky and sell 20 or so art pieces._ The gallery owner smiled at herself, knowing that rarely ever happens in one night. She saw Alice flirting away with one of the artists, and decided to interrupt. _I'm going to have a little fun with this. Nothing kills stress more than annoying Alice._ The brunette brushed herself off and headed their way.

"Wow, how did Porter even manage to get all these Catherine Opie prints in here? I guess I'll have to interrogate her later on when I see her." Eric stated in amazement. "They're really hard to come by because- oh wait- I see her, come on…I want to introduce you to her babe." Eric seemed like a child in a toy store as he guided Tina to a small group of people talking.

Tina heard of the gallery owner, but had no idea what she looked like. The couple walked over to a small group of three that were chatting. Three women, a brunette with her back to Tina and the other two facing her direction that seemed to be enjoying each other's company. Tina tried to guess which one owned the gallery. There was a blonde, her face bright with a big smile that seemed somewhat forced and squinting eyes. She was wearing a beige leather jacket and a long white skirt, with bronze chains hanging from her belt. _No, she doesn't seem the type._ The other woman facing her direction was a stocky, woman with short, jet black hair and thick rimmed glasses. She was wearing a dark men's suit and dress shoes. _Hmm, maybe it's the woman in between them, but I can't see her face. I can only see her tight fitted black suit and heels. Well, her near perfect, clean cut bobbed hair style seems to fit the description of perfectionist._ Tina quickly judged as they approached the group.

"Excuse me, Bette." Eric said, with a smile on his face

The brunette turned around, with a charming smile of her face. Her brown hair framed the stunning beauty of her face. She was tanned, a bit of a mocha color. Her chocolate eyes were bright and big, accentuated with dark brown eyeshadow and well- groomed eyebrows. She had a very slightly curved nose and a perfect pearly white smile that would bunch up her rosy cheeks and light up her face. She had very small pearl earrings on, slightly hidden by her hair. She was wearing a wine colored collared shirt, with a dark purple tie tucked neatly under her nicely fitted black suit jacket. _Holy crap, this woman in unbelievably beautiful._ Tina tried not to get thrown off by this unexpected beauty standing before her.

"This is my girlfriend, Tina Kennard." Eric stated as he put his arm behind Tina, guiding her closer.

Bette first laid her eyes on Eric, then scanned over to Tina. "She heads up development at Alphaville." Eric continued. Bette broke her eye contact with Tina to glance at Eric and immediately back to Tina. "Tina, Bette Porter." Eric finally introduced each other.

"Nice to meet you." Bette greeted, her silky voice was low as they shook hands. Her eyes pierced into Tina's.

"Hey. Nice to meet you." Tina immediately responded. Her voice seemed so small at that moment.

"Bette, we were wondering…how would Catherine Opie feel about us blowing up that print there to about five-by-six feet?" Eric pointed to a print hung farther back using his ring and middle finger.

"Well, why don't you ask her yourself? She's right over there." Bette smiled and turned slightly holding her hand out palm up, to show Eric where Catherine was chatting in another small group. Tina slyly gave Bette a once-over while she wasn't looking. Bette looked really breathtaking in that outfit. It said "I'm professional, I'm powerful, but I'm sexy as hell".

Eric smiled and nodded, confirming that he spotted her. Then he turned to Tina, waiting for a reply. Tina just smiled "I think I'll just stay here." reassuring Eric that they didn't always need to be side by side.

"Okay. Excellent." Eric nodded as he made his way over to the artist.

Tina glanced at the dazzling woman in front of her. Not really knowing what to say. She usually always knows how to continue a conversation, but it seems words have escaped her tonight. "So.." she laughed, embarrassed.

Bette smiled at her. "Have you seen any other pieces that has piqued your interest?" she questioned, saving the conversation from getting awkward.

"Yes, actually most of them have, but these photo portraitures are really something."

"Ah, yes. They are really beautiful pieces. It captures each subjects personality in a completely different way each time. I love how different and daring it is." Bette looked at Tina. The blonde standing before her was completely breathtaking, and she doesn't even know it.

"Thats what I thought as I viewed them" Tina confessed "I got to say, you have such a beautiful gallery. All the pieces are so interesting and they each evoke different emotions. Also, it's by far, the closest I've seen to modern artistic perfection in my life." Tina complimented the stylish gallery owner.

"Oh, you are just flattering me now." Bette chuckled. "Thank you…I'm hosting this artist dinner right after the opening. It'll be no more than 20 people, so you can enjoy the gallery in peace. Would you and Eric like to join us?" Bette silently hoped that Tina would say yes. Tina has proved to be an interesting character…and one that knows about art. She's definitely gotten ahold of Bette's interest.

"I-We would love to join you. Thank you very much. I'm sure Eric won't mind staying for the dinner" Tina responded, her face lighting up.

The two continued their conversation, while constantly making eye contact. They quickly got along, and the feeling of uneasiness started to fade within the executive. After a while, Bette had to excuse herself, as she had other matters to attend to.

As the night went on, the crowd slowly disappeared until a small unit of people were left. Caterers and servers started setting up a dinning table in the middle of the room Tina was standing in. Tina was in her own world, admiring the photo portraits once again. A couple minutes passed and she noticed that the few people that were left were big time artists, from Paris and New York, seated right by critics and intellectuals. Tina also noticed the blonde from earlier chatting away, maybe even flirting with the other woman across from her. Tina decided to stay standing and admire the photo in front of her, she was slightly intimidated because she was probably the only "average" person sitting there. Bette came in, casually putting her hand the chatty blonde's shoulder to give it a quick squeeze. When the blonde looked up, Bette smiled, then headed towards Tina.

"Are you coming to sit down?" Bette asked, looking at Tina and then giving her attention to the piece she was admiring.

"Yeah. Yeah…I just really like this one." Tina responded, motioning towards the photo in front of her.

Bette looked back at Tina, noticing something shiny tangled in her beautiful curls.

"Oh. You've lost your earring in your hair." Bette laughed as she went and started carefully pulling the earring from her soft, golden locks.

Once retrieved, Bette held the earring out on her palm. Tina, slightly embarrassed, picked it up from Bette's hand. "Thank you." she said, while looking Bette in the eyes.

Bette gave a small chuckle and looked directly at Tina's lips while Tina put the earring back in her ear. Tina didn't seem to notice what Bette was doing, so Bette turned back to admire the artwork.

"Come, join us for dinner. If you want, you can sit next to me so it's less intimidating." Bette offered "I promise you, there's nothing to be scared of or uncomfortable about. Not while I'm here, okay?"

Tina blushed the moment that Bette finished her sentence. "Sure, yes. I would love that. I'm sure Eric will probably find his way next to Catherine Opie or whoever."

Bette placed her hand on the small of Tina's back and lead her to the table. The touch was completely unexpected by Tina, but she didn't really mind. _Bette is so warm and gracious, so it might just be instinct._ Bette and Tina passed by the blonde, who looked at the two, looked away, and immediately looked back. Her eyes seemed to have a bit of fire in them. Bette slid the chair from next to the fiery blonde and waited for Tina to sit down. The executive sat and Bette kindly pushed the chair in and slid into the chair right beside Tina.

"Tina, this is my best friend, Alice." She introduced the blonde "She can be quite the chatterbox, so just watch what you say to her."

Alice held out her hand and shook Tina's "Well, actually, we just broke up. We're exes…and best friends." Alice immediately started.

As Tina shook Alice's hand, she looked at Bette. _No way, she's gay? They're gay? Wow, that was so unexpected._ _Wait. Was that a warning? Did she try to tell me to back off? Is that what it is? I have a boyfriend, so there's no need to worry._ Tina shook off the surprise on her face and said hello to Alice.

The gallery owner gave Alice an evil look when Tina looked away.

Eric finally emerged from one of the offices, content after he just finished his purchase of the Opie print. He sat down across from Tina, telling her of his deal.

"Babe, we got a good price on such a rare print. We should celebrate later on." Eric beamed

"You hear that Bette? He called her 'babe'." Alice pointed out, seeming to tease the gallery owner.

"I'm not deaf Alice, I can hear pretty well." Bette bit back with a fake smile "His name is Eric, he's Tina's boyfriend."

"Huh." Alice responded, grinning mischievously

"Are you cold, Tina? Your hairs are standing up." Bette asked with slight concern

"Well, yeah, actually. I'm freezing." Tina admitted

"I'll get you a something to help you warm up. I'll be right back, I'm just heading to my office." Bette stated as she stood up.

"No, you really don't have to. I'm sure I'll be fine." Tina tried to get Bette to sit down, so she grabbed her hand. Alice shot Tina a look. Tina quickly let go.

"Oh, its not a big deal. I'll just be a moment." Bette insisted as she started walking towards the door.

As Better closed the door behind her, she leaned against the frame. _What am I doing? She's obviously straight. Fucking Alice freaked her out, I saw her face. How can I fix that? Shit._ Bette straightened up and paced around the office. _You are Bette Porter, you are an Ivy-league educated woman, you'll figure something out. Now go, before they think something has happened._ Bette took the cardigan from her chair. She wrapped it over her arm and headed back out.

Tina turned to see Bette come from her office, holding a black cardigan. She gently held it out. Tina took it in her hands and started to put it on. It was expensive material from the feel and it smelled wonderful.

"Thank you, Bette. This is very kind of you." Tina smiled, taken by Bette's caring attitude

"Oh, its my pleasure, Tina. Always a pleasure." Bette responded

"Ahem." Alice cleared her throat loudly, looking at the two women

"What, Alice?" Bette slightly hissed, obviously annoyed at her friend

Tina felt the tension build up between the two best friends and started squirming in her seat. Everyone seemed to not notice, lost in their own conversations with their neighbors. Eric was chatting with an artist from Paris. Bette finally turned to Tina, with a gentle expression on her face and leaned in close.

"I'm sorry about that, Alice tends to jump to conclusions and cause a ruckus. I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable." She whispered into Tina's ear.

The feeling of Bette's warm breath caressing the skin on her neck sent chills down her spine. She blushed and immediately got flustered.

"N-no, its fine, I totally understand." Tina looked down, hoping Bette didn't notice her face glowing bright red.

"She acts like a child sometimes, I apologize. And if it did make you uncomfortable, I'm sorry that I broke the promise I made to you earlier. I'll make it up to you." She continued whispering.

Tina felt like Bette was actually leaning in closer with each word she spoke. The breath that escaped as she spoke brushed her neck, sending another chill. Tina could feel her face getting even hotter. This beautiful, powerful woman literally breathing down her neck really made her unable to think clearly. She didn't know what to do, she didn't remember how to speak. She turned to Bette, who looked at her red face with intense eyes, gave a brief, little smile. Bette turned away and clasped her hands together on top of the table. The dinner went smoothly, with everyone chatting and enjoying the rich food. However, Tina seemed to be the only one just a bit nervous. Constantly glancing at Bette, but looking away each time Bette caught her. When the dinner was concluded, the artists started leaving one by one. Tina and Eric eventually decided to leave after the first 5 or 6 artists left.

Eric caught Bette's attention, waving her over. Tina slowly shrunk back a little, now uneasy at the sight of Bette. "Hey, Bette, we're gonna call it quits. It was nice to see you." Eric took her hand and shook it firmly.

Bette shook his hand but paid no attention to him. Her full attention was on Tina. Bette held out her hand, "It was lovely to meet you, Tina." Tina took Bette's hand. Bette clasped her other hand over Tina's and gently said, "Please, have a safe trip home." Tina smiled weakly and replied "It was great to meet you, Bette."

The couple made their way out of the gallery. When they were in the idd of the courtyard, Tina suddenly stopped.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Eric asked, looking confused.

"Oh nothing, I just forgot to give Bette her cardigan back. I'll just be a moment, okay? Just get the car ready, I'll be out in no time." Tina gave him a reassuring smile.

"Alright." Eric nodded.

Tina ran back to the gallery, taking off the cardigan. She started folding it neatly in her hands. She turned the corner and crashed into something hard. Tina stumbled, preparing herself for impact with the floor, but a solid arm caught her.

"Ouch." a silky voice said, teasingly "At least I caught you." Bette looked down at Tina with soft eyes. "You know, running in heels isn't such a good idea." She smirked. Tina realized exactly how close they were. The brunette had her arm supporting Tina's weight, wrapped around her back. The other hand clung onto the wall for stability. Their faces mere inches from each other. the blonde looked up, and started blushing.

"Oh! Bette, I'm so sorr-are you okay? I didn't mean to…I.." Tina started blabbering as she pulled away from Bette and tried to save face.

"Don't worry about it, I'm fine. It was an accident. We both caught each other by surprise." Her eyes shone, warmth radiating from them. She had a sly grin while she watched Tina.

"Okay…good…Thats good… I just wanted to give you back your cardigan." Tina said, trying to catch her breath.

"Oh, well thank you for not stealing this from me." Bette chuckled "It's my favorite one."

"I would never!" Tina responded.

"I k-" Bette was cut off by a car honking.

"Oh, crap. That's Eric. I have to go. Sorry! Thank you for tonight!" Tina rushed out of the gallery

Bette followed Tina for a few steps, but decided to lean against the door frame of the entrance. She watched Tina run towards the car. She laughed a bit. _She's cute when she gets nervous like that._ Bette eyed the blonde until she safely got into the vehicle. Bette turned towards the dinning area to clean and lock up her gallery. She couldn't wait to call it a night and lay on her bed.


	3. Chapter 3

Tina stared out the car window with a blank look on her face, the city lights giving her a soft glow. Eric was still celebrating the purchase of the Opie and babbled on and on about the other artists. However, the executive was lost in her own mind. She leaned her head on her arm and sighed. _What was that? I've never felt that way before. Was it uncomfortable? No…it was something else she felt. What is it?_ Tina couldn't place her finger on what she felt back there. A few minutes passed when it suddenly hit her. _Holy shit! I know exactly what that was._ Tina finally figured out what Bette made her feel. _She turned me on. Imagine that. A woman. Both of us in public…and she got me aroused just by whispering in my ear…when she held me against her…_ Tina's face turned beet red as she remembered how Bette's sweet breath felt against her skin. How delicate her touch was. How softs her hands were. She turned away from Eric so he couldn't see her reaction. He was still lost in the conversation with himself. Tina didn't know what to do with herself at the moment.

Eric finally noticed that Tina was distant. "Babe. Babe. BABE." he called several times to catch her attention.

Tina turned. "Ye-hmm." she cleared her throat "Yeah?"

"You're somewhere else. C'mon we still have to celebrate tonight." Eric pointed out

"Baby, I just got a headache" Tina lied "I think we should move it to another day."

"Oh…sure thing." Eric said with a frown on his face

"Sorry, I just feel out of it, okay?" She faced him

"No. It's cool. Don't worry." He looked over, still frowning.

A couple minutes later, they finally reached the apartment building. They parked, went in, and rode the elevator in complete silence. Tina was still preoccupied with her thoughts. She took out her phone and looked at the time…12:52 A.M. Tina sighed loudly, obviously troubled. Eric didn't seem to care, or even notice. _Guys don't notice anything. Ever._ When they finally reached the top floor, Eric led the way to his apartment. Tina walked in and headed straight towards the shower. As she got undressed, she noticed she lost her earring once again. She looked all over the bathroom. _Damn it! I'm so clumsy sometimes, and those were my favorite!_ Tina frowned, trying to think when she could have lost the earring. _Maybe it happened when I crashed into Bette. Or when I was running back inside._ Tina kept thinking about the nights events as she turned on the shower and hopped in. The thought of contacting Bette made her nervous. It made her heart race and breath quicken a little. She scrubbed her hair, as if trying to scrub away the feelings that were evoked when Bette got a little too close for comfort. Tina continued washing herself in the shower and came out, figuring it was worth a shot to contact Bette. She dried herself off and slipped on some shorts and a tank top. After brushing her teeth, she headed straight to bed, laying next to Eric.

"Eric?" Tina tried to see if he was awake

"Yeah?" He mumbled through the pillow

"Do you have Bette Porter's number? I think I lost one of my favorite earrings at her gallery."

"Should be on my phone. Just take it and write down her number once you find it."

"Okay." Tina said as she got up and headed over to where Eric's phone was charging. She scrolled through his contacts until she found Bette's name. Her heart started beating rapidly at the sight of her name. She grabbed her phone and punched in the number. She hesitated. She didn't know if she should call this late at night or just leave a message. Tina decided to just go ahead and call. She put the phone to her ear.

….

"What the hell Bette?!" Alice yelled at the gallery owner when they were finally alone

"What?" Bette bit back, annoyed with Alice's behavior tonight.

"What do you mean 'what'? I mean that blonde, Tina!" Alice continued being as loud as humanly possible.

"What about her?" Bette gave Alice another one of her evil looks.

"You can't go after her Bette! I don't care how many dirty looks you give me." Alice declared.

"Why not? You and me? We're not together, so you shouldn't be jealous. Who I go after is none of your business. There's no reason for you to get involved."

"I'll give you two big reasons! Number one: SHE'S STRAIGHT. Number two: SHE'S STRAIGHT WITH A BOYFRIEND!" Alice tried to teach Bette the number one lesbian rule…Never fall in love with a straight girl.

"Alice, I know that, obviously. But she's really interesting…and really fucking hot. I'm not going after her per se…but I would like to get to know her better." Bette admitted.

"Okay, yeah she's hot, but you're just getting yourself into some deep trouble. Straight girls are always troub-" a sharp ringing coming from Bette's pocket cut her off. Bette took it out and looked down at it in disgust. It was an unrecognized number.

"Can you believe the nerve of some people? Calling me at this ungodly hour? Fucking idiots. Gimme a second, Alice. Let me try to get a point across this moron's empty head." she said as she flipped her phone open. "Okay, what kind of moron are you to call me after midnight? Don't you have any sense of respect?" she barked into her phone.

"Woah…sorry, Bette-" a female voice spoke softly on the line

"Tina? Oh, shit. I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. Fuck…" Bette started to realize that she messed up.

Alice looked at Bette, sighed loudly and threw up her hands in defeat. Rolling her eyes, she waved goodbye. Bette waved back, preoccupied with the phone call.

"Well, its okay. Umm…I- I think I lost my earring at your gallery…again. I'm sorry, I should have left a message instead. We can just figure it out in the morning. I-" Tina apologized

"No-no, I'll look for it. I'm sorry, do you know where you might've lost it? I'll look for it right now." Bette softened her tone

"Well I was thinking when I was either outside or when we crashed into each other…I'm not really sure." Tina's voice got smaller.

"Okay, I'll find it. Again, I'm so sorry…" Bette tried again to apologize to Tina.

"No, its okay, its my fault. Thank you. Okay, I'll leave you alone. I'm sure you have a lot to do…okay, bye." Tina started babbling again, her nervousness could be heard over the phone.

"You're welcome-well, I'm not busy. I-okay…bye." Tina hung up before Bette could finish her sentence.

Bette just stared at her phone for a moment. _How'd she even get my number? Oh, right. Eric probably gave it to her. I'd better find that earring to start getting back on her favorable side. I can't believe I ripped her head off over the phone. I swear, I watched her put the earring back on. Maybe it has a bad clasp or something._ The brunette started scanning the ground around her, looking for Tina's silver dangly earring. It wasn't in any of the main rooms or where they crashed earlier, so she decided to head outside and start searching there. Bette looked all up and down the surrounding area of the gallery. No luck. She even checked the bathrooms and other offices. The gallery owner started getting frustrated, going around for the third time before giving up. She headed back inside to her office. As she entered her office, her eyes were caught by a shine. The cardigan she gave Tina was there, placed on the corner of her desk. In one of the folds, she saw it. _The earring!_ Bette felt a wash of relief flood over her. Thankfully, it got caught in the material. She unfastened the earring and held it in her hand. She beamed as she looked at her excuse of seeing Tina another time. She opened her drawer and pulled out and envelope. She carefully put the earring in the envelope and tucked it back in the drawer.

Bette took out her phone. 2:26 A.M. _Hmm, maybe I'll just leave a message._ Bette started punching in her keypad and started writing to Tina. **I found your earring. It was caught on my cardigan. I'll keep it safe. I'm sorry about earlier. Feel free to drop by the gallery whenever you have the time.** After she sent the message, Bette closed her flip phone and grabbed her purse. She made her way to the exit, and locked up behind her.

….

The sun peaked through the aquamarine colored curtains, the rays lay perfectly on Tina's face. She woke, and grabbed her phone off the nightstand. **1 new message.** She saw that Bette had finally found her earring, but she sent the message at 2:27 A.M. _Bette couldn't have possibly spent all that time looking for my earring. I left around 12:45…maybe she had other things to do and sent me a text afterward. Oh, I have to apologize when I see her._ Tina started writing back, a smile gracing her face. She sat up in bed, and turned to look at Eric. He was laying on his stomach, taking up most of the bed. His face was mostly buried in a pillow with his mouth gaping open. _Wow, what a hot sight to wake up next to._ Tina scoffed as she started heading to the bathroom. After her morning hygiene routine, she decided to try and make up for last night by cooking breakfast. Her mind wandered as she began in the kitchen. _I wonder if Bette's even awake at this time. I should probably make an extra plate and bring it to her as compensation for her time._ As she turned to slide the omelettes onto the plate, she jumped at the sight of Eric, who tried to surprise her, and dropped the pan of food. The pan clattered to the floor, scattering the food all around.

"Shit, Eric! You scared me." She exclaimed while bending over to pick up the mess she made. Now there was no breakfast and a mess to be cleaned.

"Sorry, babe. I didn't mean to scare you. I wanted to see what you were making." He replied while scratching his head

"Well, it's all ruined now. Want me to make you waffles or something instead?" Tina sighed

"No thanks. I gotta run anyway. I have to meet a client." He stated "I might just get something on the way."

"Okay." Tina said while throwing the last of the food into the trash.

Eric headed back into the bedroom to get dressed. Tina decided to take the easy way out and have cereal instead. She placed the pan in the sink and took a bowl out from the cabinet. She headed over to the pantry, and found the box of oats she stashed in the corner. However, just as she picked it up, she found that it was empty. _Really, Eric?_ She frowned and threw the box into recycling.

"I'll see ya." Eric said as he reached for his briefcase leaning against the front door

"Alright. Have a good day." Tina responded

Eric walked out of the apartment, leaving Tina by herself. She decided to get dressed so she can fetch her earring at the gallery. She rummaged through her dresser to find something that made her look presentable, but nothing seemed right. Tina kept changing her outfit. _This one says that I'm trying too hard._ She contemplated as she took off her sundress. Before she knew it, there was a pile of clothes sitting on the bed. _What's wrong with me? I'm just going to pick up my earring. Bette probably gave it to her assistant. She probably won't see me anyway…screw it._ Tina decided to go with a white button-up blouse and black faded boot leg jeans. She slipped on her brown boots. She walked over to the mirror to check if she looked alright. _I look fine. Casual. Good._ Tina decided to undo a few buttons, slightly showing off her cleavage. _Better._ She grinned as she made her way over to the front door.


	4. Chapter 4

Bette checked her cellphone. **1 new message.** She flipped it open to see who contacted her.

 **From: Tina Kennard 10:48 A.M.**

 **Message: Oh, thanks for finding it! I owe you! I hope I didn't ruin your cardigan. I'll stop by today, if thats all right with you.**

Bette was pleased that Tina would come to see her so soon. _No, Tina's coming to get her earring…not specifically to see you._ The brunette quickly dismissed the negative thought. At least she'll get a chance to properly apologize to Tina about the phone call. She started punching in the keypad and sent Tina a message.

 **Yes, this afternoon is perfect. Would you like to grab lunch, or maybe some coffee? I want to formally apologize for my name-calling.**

Bette set her phone aside and returned to working on some documents. A few minutes later her phone chimed. She saw that Tina sent her another message.

 **Yes, actually. I'm starving! I just left home, so I should be there in a few minutes. Please, don't worry about it. It was a simple misunderstanding. Just remind me not to get on your bad side.**

Bette chuckled as she read the message. She got up from her desk, and headed over to James.

"James, make sure to clear all my afternoon meetings. I have personal matters to take care of."

"Even your meeting with the donors?" James questioned

"Yes, James. Even the meeting with the donors. Tell them I'm not feeling well and reschedule them for tomorrow."

"Okay. Will do." James stated

"Let me know when Tina Kennard gets here. I'm expecting her." she spoke as she walked back into her office.

Bette closed the door behind her. She looked around the pearly white, spotless room. She began pacing up and down. _Okay. You're just going to give her the earring and have lunch. That's it. She's straight. Nothing will happen._ Bette decided to start organizing the already neat room. She started rearranging the art books on the shelves, making sure that they had the same exact amount of space. When she finished tidying up, she began fiddling with the pens, unable to sit still.

There was a knock at the door. "Bette? Tina is here." James notified Bette in a soft tone.

She rushed over and held her hand on the knob. She took a deep breath and opened the door. James stood there, with Tina standing right behind him, looking around the gallery.

"Thank you James…Tina! It's nice to see you again." She beamed, her eyes filled with light.

Tina turned to face Bette and stepped closer. "Nice to see you too." She smiled weakly, in awe of the gallery owner.

The gallery owner was dressed in a umber-colored turtle neck sweater and black suit pants that flared out slightly, paired with black wedges. She had a gold bracelet hugging her right wrist. Two thick gold rings shone brightly on her hands, one on her right pinky and the other on her left middle finger.

Tina watched the gallery owner's graceful stride as she walked over to the desk. Bette rummaged through the desk until she finally found the envelope that she tucked away safely. She slowly took the earring out while keeping her eyes on Tina. She set the envelope down, grasping the precious earring in her right hand. Bette walked towards Tina and they both met at the corner of her desk. They were both closer than necessary, mere inches apart. So close, that they were almost touching. Bette smiled and held out her hand.

"I could have sworn I watched you put this back on." she smirked as they both looked at the jewelry laying in her palm.

Tina let out a small laugh and reached out to take the earring, but Bette lowered her hand and grasped Tina's by surprise. They locked eyes, brown eyes searching hazel, hazel eyes captured by brown. Bette started tilting her head and moving forward while Tina stood nearly frozen, knowing what was going to happen. Inch by inch, centimeter by centimeter, Bette took her time reaching her final destination. They both closed their eyes as their lips finally met after what seemed like an eternity of waiting. It lasted a few moments, but it seemed like they both were statues frozen in time, with the world passing on without them.

Tina slowly leaned back, breaking the kiss to catch a breath. They both opened their eyes. Bette's eyes were deep pools of chocolate, radiating with want, staring intensely at Tina. Tina's hazel eyes were wide and full of surprise. She just stood there, not knowing what to do. Bette pulled away and smiled. Tina grasped the earring from Bette's gracious hand, looking down at it, then back at the brunette. No words were exchanged for a while. The two were lost in each other. Tina smiled weakly, still lost on what to do in this type of situation. She's never kissed a woman before, hell, she's never even thought of being with a woman.

Tina cleared her throat. "Well, thank you for returning this to me." She tried to remain calm, but her head was screaming. So many different emotions came flooding over her at once. Fear. Fervor. Ardor. Guilt.

Bette still searched in those hazel eyes, not moving a muscle. She felt ecstatic, unable to believe the magical feeling that grew within her when she was near Tina.

Tina took a step back "I'm sorry. I think I should go. Maybe this was a bad idea."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know what I was thinking. I shouldn't have done that to you." Bette looked down. She wasn't really sorry, it came out as a reflex.

"It's not your fault, I didn't move away, even when I knew what was going on. We're both responsible." Tina pursed her lips and flipped her hair from her face.

"I'll take that raincheck on lunch. Some other time then?" Bette asked while showing Tina to the door

"Yeah, sure." Tina nodded as she followed the brunette

Tina walked out of the office and turned around to face Bette, who had her hand placed on the frame, slightly leaning over.

"Thank you again for the earring." Tina repeated, seeming slightly distant

"It was nice to see you again. Hopefully I didn't ruin our chances at a friendship." Bette smiled at her with warm eyes

Tina smiled softly, "I mean I- I'm sure it won't." she was at a loss for words.

"Hmm." Bette acknowledged, wondering of she burned the recently built bridge between Tina and herself

Tina turned, walking out the gallery in a calm and orderly fashion while her insides were completely in emergency mode. The alarms went off in her head. Her face burned scarlet. Her breath quickened. As she approached her car, her head was racing in all different directions. She took a deep breath to try and relax herself. She got in the car, rested her head on the steering whee, and sighed. _What am I doing? What's wrong with me?_ She lifted her head and traced her lips. She tried to recreate the event that happened less than 5 minutes ago. She remembered Bette's deep eyes, her gentle lips, her graceful hands, her warm smile. Everything about the gallery owner was stunning and Tina seemed to be under her spell. Tina shook her head, as if trying to shake away the thoughts that kept coming to her mind. _No, I don't think this is right. I have no idea what I'm doing._ Tina sighed as her stomach grumbled. Tina started the car and decided to drive around the city, hunting for a restaurant that seemed worth eating at.

Tina rolled up to a small corner cafe, and decided to settle.


	5. Chapter 5

Bette felt as if she was walking on air. She kissed Tina. Well, she didn't exactly plan it, it just happened. _I know I promised myself that I wouldn't go after a straight girl, but I can't help myself._ Tina's beauty drew her in, like she had her own orbital pull on Bette. Tina had made an impression on her that no other woman ever made on Bette. Not even her first love in college. Her head was overtaken by the thought of Tina. Bette sat in her office for a few minutes, wondering if Tina felt the same way. Her heart jumped at the buzzing of the phone in her pocket. For a moment, she was excited, thinking that Tina had decided reconsider lunch, but she was struck with a small bit of disappointment.

 **From: Alice P. 11:57 A.M.**

 **Bette, come to the Planet. We miss you. There's someone here that will really surprise you.**

Bette closed her phone shut and decided the Planet wasn't such a bad idea after all. Since her afternoon was cleared, she decided to head over right away for a much needed boost of caffeine and a quick bite to eat. She grabbed her purse and told James that she was going to be a while.

….

The Planet was a fairly popular café with the reputation of serving the strongest coffee in West Hollywood, and probably most of Los Angeles. It was a very quaint and charming establishment run by one of her close friends, Marina.

"Good afternoon, Bette." A thick accented, deeper voice greeted as she walked through the door.

Bette turned her head to the right, Marina was a tall Italian woman with sharp facial features and dark hair. She was one of Bette's more fashionable friends, always pulling off sensual yet professional attire.

"Good afternoon, Marina. It's been a while." Bette replied

"That, it has. Do you want the usual?" Marina asked as she finished serving a customer.

"Please." Bette smiled politely

"Okay, Alice and Shane are sitting at the table." She stated as she pointed over to their usual table in the center of the café.

Bette headed over to the table, where Alice and Shane were casually lounging around. They seemed to be having a discussion on the latest gossip. Alice was sitting up right, with her mouth flapping like an never-ending engine. Shane was nodding her head while she sat back with her arm resting on the chair. When Bette sat down, Alice sat silent and started to fidget, like a kid who had to use the restroom and couldn't hold it. She looked at Bette with an expression that she was going to explode of she didn't say something.

"What are you doing Alice? Stop your fidgeting, It's making me nervous" Bette stated

"Okay don't freak out, but your straight girlfriend is here. She went into the bathroom right before you came in." Alice whispered across the table

"What?!" Bette exclaimed, while looking around the café for any signs of Tina.

"Straight girlfriend, Bette?" Shane asked while raising an eyebrow, a smile spreading across her face. "I thought you knew better than that."

Marina approached the table with a mug of coffee and a plate in her hands. As she set down the plate, she could feel the antsy energy from the group. Shane and Alice were mocking Bette as she adjusted her turtleneck.

"What seems to be the problem, girls?" Marina was curious as to what was causing Bette to get so flustered.

As if on queue, Tina emerged from the bathroom, and made immediate eye contact with Bette. Her eyes widened like a deer in headlights, completely taken by surprise. Bette stood up from the table and strolled over, trying to seem as calm and collected as possible.

"Hey, nice to see you." She smiled as she approached Tina

"Did you know I was here or something?" Tina asked, slightly suspicious of this run-in with Bette. She stood back, her body language slightly guarded.

"I swear, I'm not following you. This is actually one of my favorite hangouts " Bette responded with a chuckle.

"Well, its a nice place. The food is delicious. I did notice that there are lot of women here though." Tina replied

"Well, The Planet is the most popular lesbian hangouts in West hollywood. West Hollywood is a pretty open community." Bette informed Tina

"Like, hello?! We're in West Hollywood…Its the land of the gays here." Alice came up from behind Bette, filling the tension with her chirpy voice.

"Good to know, Alice. Thanks." Tina acknowledged Alice's presence

"Why don't you come join us?" Bette invited Tina, a smile gracing her face. She looked at Tina with those warm, welcoming eyes of hers.

"Umm..okay. Sure." Tina headed over to the table where she was sitting before she went to the restroom and grabbed her belongings and her food.

Tina set her plate and tea beside Bette. The women at the table noticed that they had ordered the same thing.

"Wow, you guys are like twins." Alice pointed out with mischievous look, obviously trying to start something with Bette

"Hi, I'm Tina, nice to meet you." She reached her hand out to Shane while ignoring Alice's comment

"Shane. Nice to meet you." She shook Tina's hand and gave her the signature half smile

The three women continued having lunch in the café. It was quite overwhelming how open all these women were with their sexuality and personal life. Not to mention, the lives of others. Alice couldn't seem to stop talking about the latest West Hollywood's 411. The women talked about absolutely everything and anything. Tina looked over at Bette, who gave her a comforting smile. Tina couldn't help but feel like an outsider. This is a world where everything was laid bare for the rest of there world to see. As the talk got increasingly sensual, she noticed that Bette couldn't seem to take those eyes off of her. The sexual tension between both women was growing, and everyone could feel it. Tina was fidgeting in her seat, shifting every now and then to try and make herself more comfortable. A sharp ringing cut everyone off. Tina's phone, with its high pitched ring,

"Excuse me, I have to take this." Tina slid from her seat to avoid interrupting the group

A while later, Tina returned. "I'm sorry guys, I have to take care of some business. Some kind of emergency at the set. Thank you for letting me join you, it was lovely."

Bette stood up "I'll walk you out to your car, then." she offered

"That would be nice, thank you."

The two walked out, with Alice eyeing them carefully. "Bette has the hots for the blonde. What do you think?" she interrogated Shane

"I think that it's none of my business, and none of yours." She answered frankly

Bette followed Tina closely as they approached the car around the corner. Tina was getting anxious that the day's earlier event would repeat itself. Bette was taking her effect on Tina. The blonde's pulse was racing, her heart about to jump out of her chest. Her breathing quickened and her face grew crimson. With every step they took, the more flustered she grew. Bette took notice of Tina's growing nervousness and smiled inwardly. When the pair reached the car, Tina turned to Bette, leaning against the door, but made sure her hand rested on the handle.

"Thank you for lunch. It was…something…but it was entertaining." Tina confessed

"Oh, you'll get used to the girls in no time. You are just not used to each other. Maybe we can do this again sometime."

"Maybe…I would have to see. I just get so busy-I don't think I'll always have the time."

"Well, just let me know. We can always make the time for you."

"Thank you, I'm flattered. I have to go now. Goodbye."

"Goodbye. Have a lovely day."


	6. Chapter 6

Tina slunk down in her office chair, exhausted from dealing with the latest movie set issue. She sighed and started pondering about what happened earlier with Bette. _It wasn't even that bad…but I can't, its wrong of me. It's cheating. Eric would be so devastated…_ Tina kept contemplating on how to deal with the Bette situation, not sure if she should ignore or address the incident. She stared up at the ceiling, trying to organize her thoughts and try to find a clear and reasonable answer, but she couldn't think straight. Her thought process was slowly becoming invaded by the beautiful brunette who had kissed her so tenderly less than 24 hours ago. She looked over at the clock. 8:24 P.M. With a yawn, Tina decided to head home and rest. Her work at the studio was done, so there was no need to stay a second longer. She rummaged through her purse for her keys. Her phone beeped on her way out of the building.

 **From: Bette 8:26 P.M.**

 **Message: Just wanted to know if you're okay. I enjoyed spending time with you, but you seemed distant and guarded.**

Tina read the message and began to reply

 **I'm just going through a lot with this right now. I need you to know that it was an isolated incident. I can't do this to Eric. I'm sorry.**

Silence. 10 minutes had passed and Bette still hadn't responded. By this time, Tina had already got home and was worried if something had happened to sat on the couch waiting for the gallery owner's reply.

….

Bette stared blankly at her phone screen. The warmth in her heart froze over as she read the words. She once again became the impenetrable ice queen she was infamously known as.

Tina made her feel a certain way that not many other women had ever made her feel. Now it was all ruined because she let her emotions get the better of her. She ruined it because she couldn't control her longing. She slowly typed back a reply and set the phone down on the kitchen counter.

 **I understand. I apologize for complicating your situation. You're right. It can't happen again.**

Tina had a point. She couldn't put Tina through such a messy situation. It would make everything fall apart. She took her cup of tea and headed to her backyard to cool off for a little while. The night sky was breathtaking. There was not a single cloud in the sky and the stars shone as brightly as they could, competing with the Los Angels city lights. The moon, full and pearlescent, shone like a beacon against the sky. Bette laid down on her lawn chair and closed her eyes. The slight breeze caressed her hair, bringing a sense of calm. She emptied her mind, letting the thought of Tina go. She didn't want to think about anyone or anything. She wanted her mind to be clear of any negative thoughts. Her mind drifted from consciousness, from reality, and from the world. The peaceful darkness of sleep had embraced her.

***This might be my last update for awhile. I'm dealing with a personal loss. Sorry that the chapter is so short***


End file.
